New Content
BARKS Podcast with Claire Staines of Lothlorien Dog Services
Join Niki Tudge and PPG Canine Committee chair Judy Luther as they Chat and Chuckle with Claire Staines of Lothlorien Dog Services in Scotland, UK.
Listen as they discuss bringing home a new puppy - the trials and tribulations...and so much more!
Listen to the Podcast with Claire Staines ...
Play vs. Aggression
By Maureen Tay
As a trainer, the issue of aggression is raised a lot. Indeed, it is the most commonly reported behavior issue by dog owners (Overall, 2013).
One owner who contacted me ...
BARKS News – May 2021
Listen to the May 2021 edition of BARKS News!
Highlights include:
Geek Week 2021
Free Pet Dog Ambassador program
Shock-Free Coalition ‘Tag It’ competition
This month’s Cat Call-In ...
Latest Articles
See the Dog in Front of You
Anyone who has had more than one dog in their life has probably fallen into the pitfall of living many years with their “perfect” dog and then suffering a devastating loss. When another dog eventually enters our life we compare, looking at the dog before us through misty eyes and seeing the ...
Declawing Can Cause Behavioral and Emotional Changes in Cats
By Bridget Lehet CAFTP CFTBS
Take a moment and look at the world through a cat’s eyes. He is removed from his safe, warm, and familiar home and taken to the veterinarian's office where he gets poked with a needle. When he awakens from general anesthesia his paws are throbbing in pain. For ...
It’s Official: Dogs Have Feelings
That dogs have feelings, emotions, and thoughts probably seems obvious to PPG members and readers of my Thinking Dog Blog and to most people who share their lives with pets. But, as I tell my students at Bergin U, sometimes things need the stamp of approval of science, via peer-reviewed ...
Join Me at the Pet Professional Guild Force-Free Summit!
Presenting: TrickMeister Reinforcement Strategies for Success!
I can't believe how quickly the second Pet Professional Guild's Force-Free Summit is approaching! It doesn’t seem like two minutes since we were in Tampa attending the first Summit in November, 2015! November, 2016 will soon ...
The Challenges of Teenage Dogs
Dog owners are not always prepared for the challenges of a teen-aged dog: This can include their emotional response and sometimes over the top reaction to certain stimuli, 'forgotten' training, increased exercise requirements, need for more mental stimulation, ongoing socialization and ...
You’re Too Close! Dogs and Body Pressure
So you are standing at a party, or in your office, or on your front lawn. Someone you know only vaguely walks up to you. He walks up very close, face to face, close enough that you can see up his nose and smell his breath. He starts a conversation. What do you do?
What you desperately want to ...
No Trainer Is an Island
When I opened my new dog training and behavior consulting business four months ago, I reached out to local veterinarians, groomers and boarding facilities. I also took a little time to research other trainers in my area to see who was out there and what kind of services were being offered in ...
Advocacy is Where You Look for It
In April 2016 I attended the 11th annual Applied Animal Behavior Conference hosted by the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Each year veterinary professionals and students gather to learn about animal behavior, a subject not typically included in veterinary ...
Things You Don’t Know
There are many myths and misconceptions about dog training, some of which are broadcast on TV or written in popular books. Do you know the truth?
You don’t need to worry about being alpha. Dogs don’t need to be rolled over on their backs, approached aggressively, or made to wait while ...